Truth and Lies
by AAE THE IRKEN
Summary: How can you trust anyone? People change, lies are uncovered, truth is revealed. How can you know if your life will turn out the way you expect it to be? In the end, no one does.-First story! Eventual ZAGR and DibxOC pairing. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Just a disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! NOT THE CHARACTERS (except an OC that will appear later on), OR ANYTHING ELSE!

Chapter One:

Eight Years It's Been

Shafts of sunlight seeped in through the open blinds, casting golden-yellow bars on the sleeping boy in the bed. The boy shifted noisily, causing the visible cloud of dust to stir in the light. The cold sweat glistened on his large forehead. He was having nightmarish visions of fire, and death, and children weeping. And he stood, overlooking it all, feeling incredible guilt and rage. He screamed, and the strangled noise of it crossed the boundaries of his nightmare and shattered the silence of a quiet morning's reality. He opened his eyes wildly, his chest heaving in and out in an uneasy rhythm. He panted, and gave a shaky sigh of relief to see that the earth was not an apocalyptic wasteland.

Suddenly, a girl's threatening screech tore through the morning's regained composure. "_**SHUT UP!**_ I'LL PERSONALLY COME IN AND _CHOKE_ YOU IF YOU DON'T BE QUIET!" The boy cringed.

Then he stood up, his tall, lanky figure casting a distorted shadow across the opposite wall. He had light blue pajamas on; the pants didn't quite cover his long, thin legs, so several inches of his pale ankles showed through at the bottom. He had jet-black, shaggy hair that covered only the top of his prominent head. Perhaps his strangest feature was the single, jagged spike of hair that jutted out from the front of his scalp, and shot out towards the back.

His name is Dib Membrane.

Dib turned his cinnamon-colored eyes to his space-themed calendar, only to find that the numbers were blurry. Cursing his astigmatism, he grabbed his large round glasses from his side table; placing his glasses over his equally large eyes, he looked again towards the calendar, seeking that day's date. When he found it, his face darkened considerably. _So it _is _today, then. _He thought to himself. _It's been eight years. Eight years to the day that _he_ came. _

Every year, he felt this way. Every stinking year. No wonder he had those dreams last night. _Every year, Zim gets closer to his goal! _Dib shouted at himself in his head. He had learned to control his speaking-out-loud habit. _I just KNOW he's biding his time! Any day now, the Massive's going to come to earth with the Irken armada, and we're going to be unprepared! This stinks! _

He got dressed in a heated frenzy, and practically flung himself from his door and down the stairs. He passed his younger sister while she was hovering like a ghost outside her room. She had already been awake, due to Dib's terrified outburst earlier. Gaz glowered after him. _You WILL pay, Dib. You will pay for being annoying, and waking me up with your _weirdness. _YOU WILL PAY! _Her lips curled over her teeth in a twisted, maniacal smile.

Gaz had not changed much over the years, aside from being taller (though she was only a mere 5'3", and looked short compared to her brother's 6'2".) Her hair was still short and oddly box-shaped, she still wore the same skull pendant that she wore as a child, and she still dressed in dark clothing. She wanted to change as little as she possibly could, so she could keep up her image of being the creepy, gothic girl who will hurt you if you stand to close. And yet, even with all the precautions, the stupid teenage boys still swamped her. For Gaz had grown quite pretty over the years, despite the fact that she did nothing to alter her appearance. She felt repulsed that her own features were out of her control.

Gaz crept down the stairs and into the kitchen, to find Dib sitting at the table. His piece of burned toast lay on the plate before him, untouched. He just sat there, looking past Gaz at something she could not see. Gaz admitted to herself, this was strange behavior, even for _him. _

She sat at the table in silence. She wondered vaguely if their father was at his lab downtown.

Finally, Gaz got fed up with the unusual absence of her brother's irritating babbling, and broke the silence. "What's _wrong _with you, Dib? You're not being annoying, and talking about exposing _stupid _Zim, or that you found Bigfoot and stuff like that."

Dib finally looked up at her. Fear was in his eyes. "'Cause! I feel like something's gonna happen! Something bad! Like Zim's going to STRIKE or something!" Gaz rolled her eyes. "You're like this _every _year. Besides, Zim's too stupid to accomplish anything like world conquest." She waved her hand dismissively, and took a sip of her Poop soda. Dib stared at her in angry disbelief. "You don't UNDERSTAND! That's just what he _wants_ you to think! Something feels different this time. I just _know _he's plotting something. I just KNOW IT!" At this point he was banging his fist on the table, as if he could somehow stop Zim if he just hit it hard enough.

Now Gaz was angry, and once Gaz was angry at you, there was no stopping her until she was sure that she had caused you enough physical and mental damage. She picked up the half-empty butter container, and flung it at Dib's large head.

"AAAH!" He yelled in pain and surprise, clutching his nose. Gaz stalked out the front door, and a minute later, Dib heard the engine of his car start up. _Great, she took my car! Now I have to run to skool. _He rubbed his nose, which had turned a reddish color. He was relieved to find that it wasn't bleeding.

Though he was still angry at Gaz's indifferent manner, he sifted through her words carefully in his head. _She said I act like this every year. I guess that's true. Maybe it really _is_ just me overreacting. Either way, maybe I shouldn't worry about it; I've gotta run TWO MILES to get to skool, and I shouldn't waste my energy." _

Dib proceeded to leave the house, and took off at a run when he was at the sidewalk. He had somewhat assured himself that he needn't worry about Zim, that everything would be relatively normal. Just because it's the anniversary of Zim's arrival doesn't mean that anything _unusual_ will happen.

But what he did _not_ know was that something _was_ going to happen, something that he didn't think would _ever _happen. He didn't know that he had been right.

But how can one anticipate the impossible?


	2. Chapter 2

Yeah, I know this chapter is a bit dull, but it will get better! Once again, I OWN NOTHING! (Except Holly, who actually hasn't appeared yet…)

Chapter Two:

To Tell the Truth

Far outside the limits of earth's solar system, an enormous dark pink ship with a black insect-like face painted on the front hovered in the empty space. This ship is called, appropriately, The Massive; a great Irken ship, surrounded by the smaller ships that make up the armada. Inside the Massive were hundreds of Irken soldiers and their leaders, The Tallest.

The Tallest were currently conversing in excited whispers. It had been eight years exactly since they had received the first unexpected mission report from the young banished Irken, Zim. Every year on this date, to celebrate the occasion, he had prepared a "special" report usually involving a long list of diabolical plans to annihilate the "pitiful HYOOMANS" that he had prepared the night before, or a three-hour-long speech about how he was the most loyal invader there ever was, and how the earth would soon "crumble painfully under the inevitable DOOM!"

He had not reported _anything at all_ to them for almost a year, and they were getting suspicious.

"I just don't get it!" Tallest Red was saying to his friend. "He'd been reporting to us week after week…" here he groaned, leaning his head against the railing of their hovering platform. "after week." He finished heavily.

Purple was absentmindedly tugging on one of his antennae. "Maybe something _happened _to him!" There was a clearly hopeful excitement in his high-pitched voice.

Red considered this thoughtfully. "Maybe…" He muttered, staring into the vast black glob that was outside the window of the Massive.

"You know, why did we even play along in the_ first place?_" He said suddenly. Purple released his antenna, and looked at Red in confusion.

"It would have been _so much easier _to just send him back to Foodcourtia! We could've even had him _executed _if we we wanted to! But NO! We just HAD to pretend that he was on a 'secret mission'! He just HAD to survive the half year that he was floating in space!" His quiet voice had risen to an angered howl. "And BETTER YET, he managed to make it to a planet we didn't even know existed!"

He slammed his fist on the rail, cursing under his breath.

The whole time Red had been speaking, Purple had grown steadily more furious. He copied Red's actions, hoping to seem fierce, and struck the rail, yelling, "YEAH! We could've just DONE AWAY with him!" He paused, and then closed his violet eyes while placing the back of his hand on his forehead in a dramatic position. "We're just _too _merciful…"

Red noticed this gesture, and laughed darkly. Then, he abruptly straightened up, his face solemn and determined.

"We're doing it today." He stated with a simple calmness, though his long spider-like fingers were clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning a paler green.

Purple wondered dully what he could mean. Red looked at him expectantly, awaiting some kind of reaction. When he found none, he continued.

"We're telling him TODAY. We're telling him that his mission's a fake, and that he's a useless" he paused for half a second before continuing. "D-defect."

That got Purple's attention. As much as it was true that Zim was a defect, both he and Red knew what it would do to the kid. Zim LIVED for the "mission", and he would fall to pieces to find that his life was empty, hollow. Purple sniggered.

This was the day he had been longing for.


	3. Chapter 3

Once again, I own nothing! Except Holly, who will most likely appear in the next chapter, or the one after next.

Chapter Three:

Defect

Zim paced the floor. He was down in the communications room below the main part of the house, which served as the disguise for the whole base.

The reason for his nervous pacing was that he was well aware of the fact that the Tallest were expecting (in other words, _dreading_) his yearly "special report". He glanced at the earth time on his computer. 8:03 A.M. _Will ZIM contact them or not? _He thought anxiously. His pacing continued.

He had not contacted them in over ten months. Even _last_ year, right before his "special report", he had considered not contacting them at all. He was afraid to. He feared that something bad would happen if he talked to them. But he couldn't place what he thought it could possibly be.

Then, Tak's words flashed in his mind. _"You're not even an invader, you know! The Tallest LIED to you! Your mission's all a big LIEEE!" _

_Lieee…Lieee…Lieee… _The word pulsed through his head.

_That was YEARS ago! Why do I think of it now? _He wondered. _SHE was lying, not the Tallest! The Tallest would NEVER lie to ZIM! _

Suddenly, a hard, metallic object collided with the side of his head, and knocked him to the floor. He looked up to see huge cyan circles cheerfully glowing inches from his face. "I WANNA RIDE A PIGGY!" A familiar voice stated happily.

Zim growled. "Get OFF my face, GIR!" He shouted at the circles. They dimmed slightly, and then pulled back. The little S.I.R. unit stood there, grinning dumbly.

Zim rose to his full height, and _towered _over GIR. For he had grown. A LOT. He now stood at 6'1". He was not entirely sure of the reason for his unexpected growth spurt that started about five years ago, but he estimated that the decreased atmospheric pressure of earth might have something to do with it.

_Maybe I'm almost as tall as the Tallest. _He chuckled at the absurd thought.

But his grin faded as he remembered the Tallest. He began pacing again.  
Then, a loud beep interrupted his anxiety. The computer's voice started speaking. "Incoming transmission. The Tallest are calling."

"AAH! THE TALLEST ARE CALLING ZIM? EH?" He turned towards the large transmission screen, shaking with an unknown fear.

His revered rulers appeared then on the screen. "M-MY TALL-T-TALLE-ST-TALLES-." He stuttered, his fingers tapping together in time with his words. "_Tallest?" _His computer offered helpfully. Zim fumed.

Once Tallest Red saw that Zim was paying attention again, he began his speech that he had been preparing for years. The speech that would change everyone forever. "Zim, what I'm about to tell you has been put off for far too long. Far too long." He repeated. Zim's anxiety level reached its height.

Red continued. "It's evident that you were never ready for this job, you weren't ready for being an invader. That's why we sent you to Foodcourtia, we thought we could be rid of you, and you could at least be somewhat useful while keeping away from us."

Zim stood silent. He made a few incomprehensible sounds, and then choked out, _"What? _But ZIM is the most INCREDIBLE invader there ever was! That's why you sent me on my secret mission!"

Purple shook his head exasperatedly. "_NO! _WE _NEVER _SENT YOU ON A SECRET MISSION!" Red, slightly annoyed that Purple hadn't let _him_ tell Zim, nodded. Tears were starting to fall from Zim's eyes. He shook, and sat slowly on the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees.

"You know WHY, Zim? You know WHY we sent you on a fake mission? We hoped you would get lost in space! We _wanted _you to die! We had no idea there was actually a planet out there!" Red yelled, gesturing wildly, as he watched Zim pitifully rock himself back and forth, sobbing, trying to gain some comfort.

Gir came over to his tragic master, and started to cry as well. "STOP! _Please! _You making Master sad!" Gir screamed at the Tallest, pointing accusingly, as the tears rolled down his metal cheeks. "STOP, STOP, STOP!" He continued to cry, stomping his foot on the floor, his head on his tiny fists.

"And that S.I.R. unit, it's not really advanced! It's literally a piece of _junk._ It's made from spare parts. We lied about that too!" Purple added enthusiastically, heaving more pain on Zim.

"_You're a defect, Zim." _Red stated quietly.

And Zim, who had already been fragile since the beginning of the conversation, broke.

His sobbing stopped abruptly. He slowly pushed himself up from the floor, and turned his face back up to the Tallest.

At first, they were relieved he was taking it so well, but then they saw his face.

The evidence of sorrow's tears was still on his cheeks, but there was nothing else. It was like staring at a stuffed doll. This was the first time Zim's face had been so vacant, so empty of expression. His eyes seemed to be hollow and grey, though they were clearly their same dark pink color. But there was no light anymore, it made him appear dead.

There was silence for a moment, for even Gir had ceased his crying. He sensed something was wrong.

It was so quiet that the Tallest could have audibly heard each other's hearts beat, if either of them had one.

Finally, after a few years, or perhaps only a few minutes, Red spoke up again. "Well, that's it then, Zim. We're disconnecting your transmission line; you can't contact us or anyone else anymore." His voice was harsh and cold as stone now. "You can stay on that wretched planet until you die for all we care. Just stay away from us, Zim." And with that, he cut the transmission, and the screen turned to "snow", and the loud buzzing filled the whole room; a foreboding, lonely sound.

Zim sank to the floor, and passed out of consciousness, while Gir screamed in terror and shook him. "Master! MASTER, WAKE UP! ZIM! PLEASE!"

Back on the Massive, Red and Purple were staring at the blank screen. "I-it was really that easy? It's over? We don't have to deal with him anymore?" Purple asked in an undertone. "Yeah." Red replied quietly.

The two of them stalked off to go eat, but the only thing either of them could think about was, _has Zim gotten taller?_


	4. Chapter 4

I own none of the Invader Zim characters. Obviously.

Chapter Four:

New Girl

Dib nearly crashed into the classroom door in his haste. He'd made it to Hi Skool with one minute to spare. He panted for a moment, then pushed open the door hesitantly.

"Sorry I'm late, Ms. Bitters." He stated mechanically, expecting to see the thin, dark creature at her desk like a large, sickly crow roosting in its nest, but the desk was bereft of its usual foreboding figure.

Jumping to conclusions, he at once became hopeful that his class might finally have a new teacher. Just when the students thought they were rid of her when they reached hi skool, Bitters had wormed her way into their lives by taking over as the hi skool teacher.

_Maybe they've finally had her taken to prison. _Dib wondered. But at that moment, the skin on his neck prickled, and he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see a tall shadow looming over him.

_Of course._

"Dib, go to your seat!" the cracked voice of the shadow ordered. Dib restrained a sigh. "Yes, ma'am."

He trudged over to take the seat that had been his for years. Front row on the far right. This was the same skool and classroom that he and his classmates had had since their elementary years, but a few new classrooms had been added for the younger classes.

Gaz, being a junior, was in the same class; her seat was behind Dib's. He threw her a glare that said, quite obviously, _"Thanks a lot for making me run here.", _which she returned with more severity.

As he sat down, he automatically glanced at the desk on the opposite end of the row, and became rigid.

_Where's Zim?_

He scanned the room, to be sure that Zim hadn't changed desks, or that he wasn't hiding or something, but the green teenager was really nowhere to be found.

And his paranoia got the best of him yet again. He stood up from his desk, and pointed at Zim's. "LOOK! I _TOLD _YOU! ZIM'S UP TO SOMETHING! He's not here! He's always here…!" He trailed off anxiously. The others disregarded this as normal Dib behavior, and ignored him.

Suddenly, Ms. Bitters began speaking, and her strange, ghoulish voice chilled the air, and compelled all to listen. "I just received the announcement. We will be having yet another unwilling, hopeless pupil in our class." Most of the students buzzed excitedly about this. Dib, recovering from his outburst, rolled his eyes. _Why do they get like this every time there's a new student? Nothing good EVER comes from new students…_

Bitters continued. "She will only stay for a month, and then she will flee in fear and depression back to wherever she came from." The students understood this to mean that she'd go back home.

Now Bitters motioned at the door, which slowly opened. A girl stepped tentatively in.

She was tall, and very curvy, and had curly, orange hair that fell to the back of her knees. She wore a navy blue dress that was a few inches longer than her hair, and round glasses like Dib's that covered olive green eyes. Her heart shaped face was pretty, not in the extravagant way that you see on models and movie stars, with a ton of makeup, but in a more subtle, natural way. Dib felt his heart flutter uneasily.

"Hi, I'm Holly." The girl started shyly. Her voice was low and elegant. "Um, I'm going to be here for about a month to finish up my senior year while I'm at the city's art institute." Dib figured that the institute for arts in this city was the closest one to her hometown, which obviously didn't have one.

Holly continued. "Er, I'm happy to be here. I'm excited at the prospect of learning in a different school environment." She finished, grinning.

Ms. Bitters nodded. "Thank you, Holly, that was terrible." Holly's face turned slightly hurt and confused at Bitters' abruptness, but the hag didn't care. She pointed to the girl two seats over from Dib. "You! I'm done with you." Presently, the girl fell down through the floor to the "underground classrooms". "Take that seat." Ms. Bitters told Holly. Dib couldn't help but brood about the familiarity of the events.

Holly now looked horrified at what just happened, but did as she was told. She peered curiously for a moment at the boy with the pointy hair before turning her gaze back towards the board.

After school, Dib lingered on the steps, feeling too jittery to go anywhere. Gaz was impatient. "Dib, if you don't come with me now, I'm leaving without you again." Now that she thought of it, it sounded like a good idea, and she stalked away towards the car, parting groups of people too afraid to be near her.

Dib, oblivious that she was already gone, replied, "Go on, Gaz, I'll walk…" He wanted to have time to think before he got home, so that he could form a clever plan to discover what Zim was up to.

He nodded, and muttered to himself as he started to walk away. A taunting voice stopped him in his tracks. "Hey, _Dork_brane! What's up with that mental breakdown earlier? Huh? Seeing nightmare visions again?" Dib turned angrily, recognizing the voice. A group of large, chortling boys stood a few yards away from him. In front was a boy named "Rock" Roberts, who had come to the skool about five years ago. He was a tall, blocky boy with a bad reputation of skipping skool and bullying those smaller than him. And Dib_ was _smaller than him.

"You'll all be sorry when you've been turned inside-out by the aliens!" Dib shouted in an attempt to be fierce. This only made the boys laugh harder. "You'll be sorry!" Dib repeated, and proceeded to walk away. But then the laughter ceased. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Roberts and his cronies had surrounded Dib like a circular wall. "Home." Dib replied simply.

Roberts gazed around at the others with a look of superiority. "I don't think you know how things work around here." Dib was still, he didn't like where this was going. "You humiliate yourself really badly, then we humiliate you even more." Roberts sounded like he was quoting from a rule book of some sort, with that superior air still about him.

"I think we need to teach Dorkbrane some manners!" Roberts motioned toward the other boys, who started to move in towards Dib.

Holly came out of the building, thinking the day was a success. Now that she was here, she could get started on her art career as soon as possible and still be able to finish high school. She smiled contentedly, but her smile faded as she noticed a large group of people on the grass. Many of them were cheering, but anguished cries could be heard in between the cheers.

She realized what must be going on, and rushed out to the group. She forced her way inside the circle, and saw a terrible sight. A large blonde teenage boy held the arms of the boy with the pointy hair that Holly had watched earlier. Another boy, even larger than the blonde, and with mouse-brown hair, was repeatedly throwing punches at the poor boy.

Holly pushed her way towards them. She gave the mouse-haired boy a shove and yelled, "What the HELL do you think you're doing?" Roberts, not expecting someone to object to bullying Dib, gaped stupidly at her. "Eh?" She gave him another hard shove. "Leave him ALONE!"

Roberts became slightly concerned that this girl would contact the police if he continued. He would NOT go to juvie again. He gave Dib one last punch, and sauntered away with his followers. Dib collapsed to the ground, and all the onlookers dispersed.

Holly knelt down next to Dib, and asked gently, "Are you okay?" Dib remained silent, his gaze glued to the ground. He wouldn't let her beautiful eyes see his tattered face. Holly realized he wasn't going to let her see him. "Please? I need to see if you have to be taken to a hospital." "No, don't." he muttered, keeping his face turned down and sideways. But Holly leaned down to see his face. She gasped softly. "Holy crap." She whispered.

His face was bleeding almost everywhere, from his nose and from cuts, and he was badly bruised everywhere else. "Should I get you to the doctor?" She asked. "No, no, I don't need—." He staggered to his feet. Holly rose with him. "Are you sure?" He nodded.

She sighed. "I suppose I'll see you Monday?" she asked. "Yeah." "'Kay. I hope you heal soon. Bye." She finished awkwardly, and started to walk away.

"Thank you." She just barely caught this, but by the time she had turned around to say "You're welcome", he had already begun to run down the street.

Holly blushed unconsciously, and continued down the sidewalk.


	5. Chapter 5

Once again, I own none of the IZ characters!

Chapter 5:

Dead?

Dib dragged himself down the street. Though he had started out running, he had soon realized that it was easier to think when he was walking. He was hardly conscious of his feet, as they ran into small stones, and occasionally tripped over something. He was trying to forget the beating he had received earlier, so he could ponder Zim's absence, but Holly's face kept blurring his mind.

She had been so kind. Most people would have walked on without a thought, or feebly tried to protest against the boys, but this girl had actually stepped up and _demanded _that he be released, as shy as she seemed. _She had been so kind._

_Stop it! _He told himself, slamming his fist into his other hand. _You don't have time for thoughts like that. You need to investigate why Zim- _And at that moment, he tripped over something again, and this time he fell. "Dammit." He muttered as he pushed himself off the ground. Then he realized where he was.

He stood in front of Zim's base. His feet had automatically taken him here, over that well worn path from the Hi Skool.

He placed a hand on the fence, and brooded. This place had been an object of his dreams and obsessions for so long, that he was now able to subconsciously direct himself here. He remembered all the times he had attempted to get inside, and how he'd spied on Zim through the little window when the gnomes failed to catch him. How, in the 8th grade, he had climbed onto the roof, thinking he could drill a hole and steal Zim's Voot cruiser, and had fallen off and broken his leg. Zim had laughed. Laughed at his pain.

He paused for a moment, gritting his teeth at the memory, when he saw the door begin to open. He crouched down, so that the fence would hide him, and peeked around it.

Zim's robot minion, GIR, sat bawling on the step. He wasn't wearing his disguise, and he had left the door ajar. Dib, excited by his appetite for victory and revenge, saw this as an advantage.

_If I can just get around him, I can get into the base_. _Maybe Zim's not here. If he was, wouldn't he have made that robot wear his disguise? Though the gnomes might be a problem… If he left, he wouldn't have turned those off…_

Dib debated with himself for a moment, and finally decided to try and make it inside. _If I'm quick, maybe I can get in before he or the gnomes can do anything. _

He counted to three, and made a dash for the base. And, yet again, he tripped, this time over his shoelaces. _**"DAMMIT!"**_ He screamed. This was NOT the best time to be a klutz.

He looked up, and found that GIR was now standing, and glowing red from his eyes and chest. "Halt! You are an intruder!" He pointed at Dib, and all manner of weapons came out of him. Then the red faded, the weapons retreated back inside him, and he resumed crying.

Dib stood, cautiously, slowly, careful not to trigger GIR's defense mode again. He expected the gnomes to shoot at him, or drag him into the street, as they had many times before, but all was still. His suspicions rose.

He remembered that GIR had obeyed a polite request from him once before, and realized it may work again. "Hey, will you let me come in so I can see what evil Zim's up to?" he asked calmly.

"UH-UH!" GIR shouted at him, shaking his little metal head angrily, causing its contents to shake around. Dib was surprised by GIR's reaction, and frowned, frustrated. "Why not? What's going on in there?"

GIR's expression change back to sorrow. He wailed, "MASTER DEAD!"

Dib stood silent, unable to comprehend. "What? Did you say Zim's _dead?" _GIR's answer was a louder wail. Dib waved his hand at him. _"Shh! Quiet!" _he whispered. He wasn't sure why he was telling him to be quiet, because all he wanted was to expose Zim. But this would probably leave GIR in a laboratory somewhere, and Dib needed more information.

He shoved GIR into Zim's base, and followed after him. This time, GIR didn't refuse. Dib closed the door, and couldn't help but feel a foreboding air inside the quiet building.

He turned back to the sniveling robot. "Tell me what happened!" he commanded. GIR looked up at him through watery optical lenses, and choked a little when he spoke. "The-the Tallest called. They said things that make Master cry!" _Zim was crying? _Dib thought, confused. "Then they said something else, and the big T.V. went all _bshhhhhhhhhh!"_GIR continued to imitate the sound of "snow." When he didn't cease, Dib encouraged him to move on.

"An-and then, _Master-!" _He could say no more. Dib understood, partially. He swallowed hard. "Where is Zim's bod—where is Zim now?" He asked with difficulty, puzzled that he was trying to be sensitive to the little S.I.R. unit.

"_Down-downstairs!"_ GIR squeaked. Dib sighed, plucked up his bravery, and turned towards the kitchen, where the entrance to the base's underground rooms was. He clenched his hand. "Okay, I'm going down there."

And as he walked off toward the kitchen, with GIR at his heels, he wondered, in that large head of his, _why _he was not thrilled that his victory was at hand.


	6. Chapter 6

I own nothing! …Except this story and Holly… But, you know.

Chapter Six:

A Secret Revealed, a Friend Gained?

Dib stole silently down the hallway beneath the base, with sweat pouring off him. He could hear the melancholy clank-clank of GIR's little metal feet against the cold floor.

His heart was jumping painfully, and an overwhelming sense of foreboding clouded his mind. He, in a way, couldn't comprehend what the robot had told him. This was the moment he had waited eight years for. _Why am I scared? This is the best thing that's happened to me since that damn Irken came. _He brooded. _Why am I scared?_

_ Is it because I'm about to see him…dead? Maybe I'm not scared, maybe I'm excited… _He wrestled with himself. "It's not like he can do anything to me anymore." He slipped into his old habit again. "I mean, this is for the good of earth… Stop being an idiot! …Nothing to be afraid…of…" He turned his eyes up to find that he had reached the door to the communications room.

GIR's sob startled him out of his reverie. "I'M NOT GONNA GO! I WON'T LOOK!" He shouted at Dib. "Fine! I don't care!" Dib retorted, sounding angrier than he thought he did. GIR cringed, and scooted away into a corner, covering his eyes.

Dib turned away, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to see. He opened the doors.

At first, he could see nothing. The large room was poorly lit, and his eyes hadn't adjusted. He peered around nervously, expectantly. Then he caught his breath as he noticed a pale figure curled into a fetal poition on the floor.

Zim's body was motionless as Dib approached. He tried to see from the distance he was at if there was any slight sign of life, and found none. He cautiously approached the body. "This is it. I'm finally gonna expose you for the alien you are." He muttered to no one.

Dib had crouched down, wondering how heavy Zim might be, and how he should go about removing him from the base, when he thought he noticed one of Zim's antennae twitch ever so slightly.

He stared. "Not possible." He mumbled. To be sure, he, hesitantly at first, leaned down and listened to Zim's chest. Something grabbed his hand. Dib screamed and flung himself from the body, blinking wildly.

Zim had risen, and was staring openmouthed through Dib. Dib realized, finally, that Zim had NOT been _dead_, as GIR had thought, but in a deep coma. He didn't know what to say, so he stood shakily as some of the shock wore off.

Then, he saw something he never thought he's see. Zim had tears streaming down his face, and had steam rising off him as the saltwater burned his skin.

Zim seemed to finally notice that Dib stood only five feet away, and the tears ceased instantly. However, he too could not speak. The enemies remained motionless for seven consecutive seconds, each afraid that if he moved, the other would lunge at him.

Amazingly, the less likely of the two to speak suddenly yelled in fury, "GET OUT OF MY BASE, HYUMAAAAN!" and babbled on in a stream of obscenities.

Dib backed away, utterly confounded. His arch nemesis, whom he had believed to be long since deceased, had apparently _risen again_, and was currently screaming bloody murder at him.

But Dib was never one to simply give in. He stood his ground as Zim, unsteadily, walked over on his spider-like leg extensions, and loomed over him.

"Wait, Zim, what's going on? I thought you were dead!" But Zim didn't hear the last of the sentence due to the S.I.R. unit that had just propelled himself into the air to land on Zim's head. "MASTER! YOU OKAY!" The robot shouted gleefully and full of adoration. He hugged his master's head, content.

Zim glared up at GIR, but didn't bother with him otherwise. "Pitiful HYUMAAAAN, what business do YOU have at the base of ZIM? NONE! NO BUSINESS! So, be gone with YOUUUU!" He yelled this while pointing at Dib with one hand and making a small fist with the other.

"I'm here to expose you!" Dib cried triumphantly. Zim sneered. "And just HOW are you to do that, pathetic DIB-PIG?" Dib's forehead creased with confusion. "I'll- figure something out." He muttered lamely. Zim grinned. "HA! No you WON'T! GIR! Duty mode! Remove the Dib!"

But, GIR grinned, and refused politely, "UH-UH! BIG-HEAD HELPED MASTER GET BETTER!" Zim was about to command him again, and tell him he'll take his piggy if he didn't do it, but a sudden flash blinded him.

He looked towards Dib to find that he was holding a camera. Fear seized him for a moment, but then relief coursed through him. "You left the lens cap on." He pointed out smugly.

Dib frowned at him, and examined the object in his hands. "No I did not… AAH! Why does that keep happening?"

Zim crept nearer. "So, DIB, you have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide…" "The door's right there…" "SILENCE! Where was Zim? Oh! Nowhere to hide! So now, I can finally defeat you, and VICTORY SHALL BE MINE! VICTORY FOR ZIIIIM!"

He shook his fist in the air, laughing maniacally, and then he remembered. He remembered why he had passed out in the first place, why he could still feel wetness on his face, why Dib had even been able to get this far. _...Defect…_

"Oh…" The spider-legs retracted and folded up inside his PAK. He dropped heavily to the floor, burdened by this knowledge. He backed away.

Dib, once again, was astounded. Zim was stubborn, and he would NEVER back down. So what the hell was going on?

He stepped forward, and spoke firmly, "You KNOW I can escape Zim." Then, remembering how gullible Zim was, Dib cleverly lied, "I've been recording this whole thing, from the moment GIR let me in until now."

He pushed the lie further, wondering how long Zim's gullibility would hold before he became skeptical. "I've transmitted the data to my computer already, and if you don't tell me what happened, I'll send the video in to Mysterious Mysteries!"

Zim's magenta eyes widened. "YOU LIEEEEE! ZIM DOESN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

Dib groaned. "Fine! It was a lie! But tell me anyway! What's the worst I could do?" "NEVER!" "C'mon!" "NOOOOOOO!"

It went on like this for some time, until Dib got an idea. Knowing that Zim's computer had unusually incredible artificial intelligence, he presently commanded, "Computer! What happened to Zim?"

The computer, not really caring about taking sides, replied, "The Tallest revealed that Zim's 'mission' was really a cover-up for wanting to get rid of him. I believe they used the word 'defect.'"

Zim stared in horror, and Dib stared in shock. He struggled over the words. "So…so Zim…so his mission…he was never supposed to take over the earth at all?" "Affirmative."

He pondered this as Zim argued with the computer in the background. _So, he was never supposed to take over the earth? So, that must mean that the armada isn't coming…? Wow… VICTORY FOR EARTH! Maybe I'm just superstitious, but maybe that sense that I had that something was going to happen was because of this? But,wait, why do the Tallest hate him so much?_

"…Zim?" Zim turned sadly. "Yes, it's true. The mission…was all for nothing…" Dib frowned. "How can I believe you…?" "LISTEN TO ME, STINK-BEAST! I DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM EITHER! And now look…" His face was contorted with internal pain. "NOW look!" He couldn't stop the tears this time. He buried his face in his hands and shouted pitifully at Dib to go away.

Dib didn't know what to feel anymore. There was really no point in protecting the earth from Zim anymore if he wouldn't have the assistance of the armada. The only thing left to do would be to try and continue to expose him for being an alien. But, some emotion was keeping him from this conclusion. Guilt? Now that he had seen Zim in such a sorry state, he wouldn't feel right about exposing him. _Idiot! What do I do now? Extend friendship to him? _The very thought sickened and amused him all at the same time. But, there was still one question left unanswered.

"Why do the Tallest hate you?" It slipped out of his lips before he could catch it. Zim looked back at him. "WHY does the Dib care?" Dib shrugged; he honestly didn't know. Zim considered. "I…destroyed much of my home planet…on accident…in Operation Impending Doom One. So they banished me to Foodcourtia." He would say no more.

_Are we really so different? _Dib asked himself. In one case, leaders who can't forgive a bad mistake, in the other, a father who can't understand his son. _Well, we're actually really different, but still. _

So, could the third option he was presented with really be the answer?

_Friendship?_


	7. Chapter 7

I'm sorry this took sooooooooo long! I was very very very busy. . Now it's summer and I'm not very busy, so I hope that I'll be able to post more chapters. Oh, yeah, disclaimer: AAE OWNS NOTHINNNNNNG! On with the story!

Chapter Seven:

Allies and Insults

There was an uncomfortable silence as Dib pondered the possibility of friendship, and Zim sat in anger and uneasiness. He had removed his hands from his face, but continued to stare fixedly at the floor.

At length, Zim regained his usual confidence, rising quickly and yelling, "Get OUT of my base, Dib-monkey! OUUUUT!". He began advancing on Dib.

Dib put his hands up in front of himself. "Wait a minute!" Zim paused, an untrusting glare forming on his face.

"**What?**"

The boy pushed his glasses up his nose, deciding. He came to a conclusion, giving a slight nod, and began carefully, "So… if you're not going to destroy the earth anymore—"

"EH? I never said I wouldn't destroy this PITIFUL planet!" Zim retorted, continuing to approach Dib.

Dib raised his eyebrows, confused. "But… I mean… huh? Why would you still destroy the earth if you don't have a mission anymore? Well, I guess you never _did_ have a mission, but…"

He looked up to find that Zim was a foot away from him. "Pitiful Dib, just because I do not _need_ to destroy your ROCK does not mean that I won't. ZIM shall continue this mission anyway!" he declared.

Dib clenched his hands into fists, and tried to say calmly, "How about instead of bending all your energy on destruction, you could do something useful for once? Huh? Come on!"

Zim narrowed his eyes. "Like _what, _human?"

"I don't know… stuff! Useful stuff!" He threw his hands into the air, groaning. "You know what? I'm leaving." He turned to the doorway, and paused once he had reached it. "We could have been… _allies, _you know." he said shortly over his shoulder before he exited the room, leaving Zim behind, frustrated and confused.

Dib arrived at skool on Monday to find that Zim was still missing. He didn't call this to anyone's attention for once, not desiring to be beaten up again. Besides, he wasn't entirely surprised Zim was gone after what had happened to him.

Recalling the events of that day led him to think of Holly again. She kept popping up in his mind ever since she helped him.

Right as he began to think of her, he caught her name in a conversation to his right. He was sitting with Gaz, as always, at a table in the cafeteria.

Dib turned to the group at the far end of the table next to them. _Why are they talking about her?_ He wondered. He looked back down at the table, but concentrated on the conversation, trying to hear the group members' voices above the din of the cafeteria.

Said group was a gaggle of teen girls all wearing slightly disgusted expressions. Dib couldn't hear everything, but he was positive they were talking about Holly because he kept hearing "the new girl" pop up in the conversation.

He honed in on the voice of the tallest girl of the group, a brunette named Rachel. She seemed to be doing most of the talking. He caught the words "pumpkin head" come out of her mouth. He considered this; it seemed an accurate description, but Rachel said it so rudely that it sounded like an insult.

"Nerd" was the next thing he understood out of the jumble of words. Holly did seem to spend a longer amount of time on her work than the other students, but none of them had known her long enough to label her a "nerd". He continued straining to listen.

He then wished he hadn't. _Fat? Huh? Why would they call her fat? _He glanced over to Holly, who was sitting with a couple of other girls at another table, unaware of the conversation. True, she was a bit wider and taller, and curvier, than most of them, but fat? Dib glared daggers at Rachel, but she didn't take notice.

He stood up suddenly, unsure why. Gaz looked up at him suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

He continued staring at Rachel, who was staring back, along with almost everyone else in the cafeteria.

"Nothing." He said finally, and sat back down slowly.

He paid no more attention to the girls for the rest of the day.


End file.
